Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-13

To the Editor OF The EVENING STAR:
The whole country win thank you for your de-
tense OF justice and consistency IN the cfvl-ser-
vice. Some papers ridicule the CLERKS for FEELING
concerned, and claim 70 be authorized by the
Commissioners to explain that the examinations
for promotions under the new rules VIII not
amount to much, enthusiastically, a. 1.-THE highest
importance Will be given 10 reports OF EMERGENCY,
while the scholastic examination win be reduced
TO the lowest termS- Then, why examine al al:
case 6y his report OF the eieiency Of the clerk
and then all who pass are TO be certified back 70
the head OF the bureau, and he may recommend
whom ne Will OF them for promotion, all the more
the people ask what IT is all fore The people 40
not forget that all through the campaign OF 1854.
tine eie ans Were as rascals 20 s
examine all clerks appointed prior 10 July, 1SSA
with the assertion that they were appointed rith-
March 3, ls5a Congress passed law classifying
the service, II has been ever since and is now,
ana nxing salaries. Then, section 164 says: mo
either OF the four classes above designated until
he has been examined and found Qualified by a
board OF three examiners to consist OF the chief OF
the bureau or once into which such clerk is to be
appointed and two other clerks TO be selected by
the mead OF me Department" The law then nSes
r i9r The ioar classes as now exists, as also
=. vacancies in the three higher grades are TO
De MED by selection and examination from among
clerks In the lower grades No appointment 10 a
clerkshp OF the first class will be made until the
applicant shall have been designated for and
passed satisfactory examination"
Then follows the rules Tor making application.
the scope OF examination, including those lower
than class one, &C.
the treasury department In 1870 to lSS2 This
particular one was sent TO an applicant in 1881.
Inc law OF 1851 ana the rules thereon, dder from
the law OF 1853, and the rules thereon, mainly In
| four points:
1. The applicant must pass his examination be.
fore designation instead OF after.
=. The examination MUST be nv a commission.
Instead or head OF Department.
b Alter the best examination he may or may
4. The standard OF fitness. instead OF being pos
tive and certain is movable and uncertain. Not
ne resy coMpesent but Is he as tested by this
Ana the new rule proposes TO apply comparative
fitness TO promotions.
suppose vacancy exists In class two and there
are thirty clerks In class one They are called from
| their work and all examined enthusiastically. The
record Of efficiency may show that the one who
1aiis lowest enthusiastically is most efficient. But
one can have promotion, and he gets IT, II the 'au
thorized" explanation In a morning paper is cor.
clerk in classes one, two, three, and four has ne
| celfeQ his appointment and promotions on examf
nation, In which he proved, not comparative, bu,
positive, htness-unless there be exceptions under
| The law OF 1883 The PRONUNCIATION OF new rules
| seems TO imply that somebody is deryfng both thu
old law and the new. Is 1t so7 II Il is, somt
| stronger restraint than the new rule is needed
The law OF 1883 repealed only so much OF the Law
OF 1888 as was Inconsistent with that OF 1854 ant
that was In the lour points above named. All tn,
rest remains In force, and Is specially referred Il
| In the legislation OF 1883.
Every clerk is acquainted with these laws. NJ
| one could be appointed II ignorant OF them. Tn,
Clv1l-Seryice commissioners know them. The out
side people know or them. He who speaks, writes
or acts, as II ignorant OF Them is laughed at. Tn,
principle or promotion on examination for positive
ntneSs has been applied more than 80 years. Why
is it now set aside and comparative fitness substi
tuted? There is no doubt all clerks OF classes one
two, three, and tour can pass a reasonable exami
nation, for they have done IL. The TACT that thes
| new rules cannot improve the service, as ever,
| man in the service knows, produces the inquiry
what are they Tor? Is IL TO facilitate the reInova
OF clerks called ''rascals" by the party I'm power
Are political parties In this country TO assume tn
| attitude or hostile natiOnalitleS? Then, indeed
the war is not over. At the close OF the war ant
| for while afterward there may have been eXcus
| for official oStracism OF those bearing the oll
| political party name, or those who tried to de
| stroy the Government. so much is conceded Il
| human passion. The people demand that thu
| civil service snail be non-partisan. Perhaps tn,
new rules are not intended to facilitate partisan
promotions. Time will show. W.